This invention relates generally to protective garments, and is more specifically directed to garments for selectively protecting portions of a person""s body from overexposure to the elements.
The use of garments to protect against inclement weather is well known. For example, outdoorsmen, and other people subjected to the elements, have used various protective garments to insulate themselves against the adverse effects of cold and wetness. Motorcyclists and snowmobilers typically employ multiple layers of clothing to combat the adverse effects of exposure. However, additional layers of clothing can become heavy, bulky, slippery, and/or cumbersome, especially if they become soaked or coated with water or ice. Such problems are undesirable since the mobility of the wearer is impaired, potentially preventing the safe operation of the motorcycle or snowmobile.
A problem associated with wearing bulky garments or several layers is that sometimes additional protection is only needed at localized body areas which are more susceptible to, or more exposed to, cold or wet weather conditions.
For example, when riding a motorcycle or snowmobile, extra protection in the front or back of the thighs, or over the knee area, is desirable. At other times, extra protection is only desired towards the ends of the limbs (e.g. calves, forearms) which tend to cool quicker than the trunk of the body in an exposed environment. The bottom portions of the legs are especially susceptible to temperature extremes, as they are often closer to accumulated precipitation.
Tubes of fabric having annular and/or other strands of elastic material, commonly referred to as legwarmers, are a known garment for protecting the lower legs against the cold. However, legwarmers are generally not designed with material that significantly protects against wetness. Additionally, the limited elastic quality of legwarmers generally constrains the amount of clothing and/or thickness of the limb that a legwarmer can be pulled or fitted over without constraining blood flow or unduly damaging the legwarmer. Legwarmers also tend to lose a significant amount of elasticity during repeated/extended usage, resulting in an inability to maintain proper placement, uncomfortable bunching, and/or limited ability to retain body heat.
Based on the foregoing, it is the general object of the present invention to overcome the problems and drawbacks of prior art protective garments.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a protective garment which includes coupled facing and backing layers of material sized to extend around and partway along the limb of a wearer. The facing and backing layers of material are quilted via one or more lines of stitching, at least one of which includes a pattern of closely spaced reinforcing stitches. Fastening means are used to join opposed edge portions of the facing and backing after the protective garment is wrapped around a limb of the wearer.
In the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, a layer of insulating material is interposed between said facing and backing layers of material, and the stitching includes quilting thread sewn along the facing and backing to create a channeled pattern. The layer of insulating material is usually composed of material having good insulating quality, such as 10.5 ounce polyester batting. Further, the facing is made of waterproof or water-resistant material such as 200 dernier nylon coated with polyurethane. The backing can be 68 dernier nylon or taffeta. Preferably, the quilting thread is fine enough so as not to create holes in the facing and backing sufficient in size to allow the ready passage of water. Of course, it is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that the facing and backing layers of material, as well as the layer of insulating material, could be made from any number of garment materials. Additionally, manners of stitching other than channel patterns of fine quilting thread can be utilized.
Preferably, the fastening means for joining the opposed edge portions of the garment are strips of hook and loop fastening material sewn to the facing and backing layers of material. One strip of hooked fastening material is sewn on the backing layer along one of the opposed edge portions, while three spaced strips of loop fastening material are sewn on the facing layer adjacent to the other opposed edge portion and approximately perpendicular to the strip of hooked fastening material.
The strips of looped fastening material are sized to allow adjustment over a substantial range to accommodate varying limb sizes. The facing and backing layers of material and strips of loop fastener material are sized to allow the typical user to secure two layers of the garment over an area of a limb susceptible to the adverse effect of the elements.
It is to be understood that the present invention contemplates that the number, position, and, orientation of the strips of hooked and looped fastening material can vary from that of the preferred embodiment. Furthermore, any other number of fastening means can be utilized.
Additionally, a bias can be sewn around the periphery of the garment. The bias provides a border around the protective garment which helps to prevent foreign objects and water from getting between the facing and backing layers of material.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, the protective garment defines one or more slots extending from one or more of the opposed edge portions of the garment. Preferably, one approximately U-shaped slot extends from one of the opposed edge portions of the protective garment, thereby defining two-fingerlike projections. During wear, the slot is positioned over the joint, thereby allowing comfortable flexion of the joint.